Ivy Inn to Host Fundaraiser for Sick Child Today

Liam Barnosky loves animals, Blues Clues and his twin brother, Finn. But the Lawrenceville boy has not been able to enjoy his young life to the fullest because he suffers from a rare liver disorder.

The four-year-old was diagnosed with biliary atresia when he was just nine weeks old and has suffered severe medical complications from the disease.

Biliary atresia affects approximately 1 in 15,000 newborns. It causes inflammation and obstruction of the bile ducts, which results in the back up of bile into the liver. The bile then destroys the healthy liver and ultimately causes liver failure. There is no known cause of biliary atresia, though current research suggests that exposure to a virus may trigger an auto-immune reaction in a newborn.

When Liam was 10-weeks-old, he had a medical procedure that bought him time before a liver transplant became necessary. But over the last 3 years, Liam has developed several complications from the disease. This January he was placed on the liver transplant waiting list. His friends and family are hopeful he will receive a transplant in the next few months.

The Ivy Inn is hosting a fundraiser today to support Laim and his family. The Ivy collect donations for the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, a national charity dedicated to helping communities raise fund for people who need transplants.

Tickets for the event are $40 per person at the door, and all proceeds go to the charity. The event will be held at the Ivy Inn in downtown Princeton at 248 Nassau Street. Free hors d’oeuvres, beverages and live music will be provided.

For more information about Liam or to make a tax-deductible donation to the fund, visit www.cotaforliamb.com.